All in a Day's Work...

I love my job - I just need more hours in the day:

• Email correspondence, snail-mail letters, phone calls, texts, and Tweets: Communication is the lifeblood of what I do. My 100% Communication Rule - I assume total responsibility to make sure my words and calls are received and understood by the recipient. If not, keep at it until they are.
• Consultations: Relationships are #1. When I get the chance to talk with a church leader - pastor, staff, or dedicated volunteer - I'm all ears first and foremost. If I can't listen to, and then respond to the person across the table, then I've failed.
• Research: Information drives our society. The communication and consultations mentioned above are preceded, and then followed up, by research. It may come in a digital form, or from a printed page, or from a person to person interaction, but information about the matter at hand is vital to a continued relationship. My goal? I want to know as much as possible about your organization so that I can serve you well.
• Face 2 Face: All relationships have a beginning and this is often the best place to start. I'm not going to waste your time - I just want to introduce myself, tell you about my passion, and ask you to call me when you need something - all in about 30 seconds.
• Professional networking: I may not know the answer to your question, but more than likely I know someone who does. If not, I will in short order.
• Meetings: Make the world go round - at least my world! In ChurchWorld, nothing gets done without meetings, or so it seems. If I called the meeting, it's going to be concise and productive. If someone else called it and I have a part, I'm going to come prepared. If it's a meeting that I am just attending, I'm going to make sure it's as beneficial as possible to all concerned.
• Presentations: It's all about emotion and communicating your point of view to others. If all you want to do is create a file of facts and figures, cancel the meeting and send a report.
• Questions: The simpler the better. Simple questions should be profound so that answering them requires us to make stark, honest, and sometimes painful self-assessments. When you ask the tough questions of what you are doing, why you are doing it, and what you must do to improve an organization's performance, you have had a good day.

That's what a good day is all about...